DIY Fall Centerpiece with Garden Roses

Maggie Bailey of Bramble & Bee Floral shares a DIY fall centerpiece.

Part Texas wildflower, part English garden, and a little California cool thrown in for good measure—that’s Maggie Bailey’s style. Her flower designs capture the simplicity and innocence of her childhood in rural California, her free-spirited college years in Texas, and precious time spent across the pond with her British-born husband. When asked about her background, the 30-something is quick to credit these rich life experiences rather than any formal training. “I studied science, so I never dreamed I’d become a floral designer,” says the once-aspiring physical therapist. “But I did always have an artistic inkling. I’m not good with a paint brush or pastels, but I have a keen eye for color theory. I really don’t recall how or why, but flowers became my medium and flower arranging my art and my passion.”

Friends and family took notice, and soon Maggie began tackling church flowers and weddings. In 2013, she took her talents one step further by opening the doors to Bramble & Bee, a quaint floral studio and gift shop just off of Main Street in historic downtown Tomball.

Fall centerpiece of roses with lettuce and garden vegetables — A fall centerpiece loaded with garden roses, lettuces, and other vegetables gathered on the farm.

Fall Centerpiece Inspiration

“This natural setting offered a wealth of inspiration,” says Maggie Bailey of Bramble & Bee. Sustainable Harvesters in Hockley, Texas, is located on more than 167 acres of farmland dotted with gardens, greenhouses, and groves. “I used freshly plucked lettuces and vegetables with all of their wild, gnarly foliage to give the arrangement a hardy base and an element of the unexpected. The leafy greens also deflected from the formality of the lush garden roses and helped mound the blooms to create a smooth but striking contrast.”